Sports
These Five MLB Bottom Feeders Are Already Pretty Much Eliminated From 2025 Playoffs
Sep 16, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Chicago White Sox left fielder Andrew Benintendi (23) and second baseman Lenyn Sosa (50) head off the field after the final out of the ninth inning defeating the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Major League Baseball’s exhibition schedule opened Thursday with the Chicago Cubs visiting the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. You know what this means, right?
It means we have enough of a sample size to mathematically eliminate at least five MLB teams from the 2025 World Series chase.
Now, you might say, hey, give these teams a few months to prove they don’t belong in a pennant race. And we’ll respond, hey, these teams had four months since the 2024 regular season ended to do ANYTHING to prove they’re interested in winning—and they basically chose not to.
The first team on our list is a gimme because the Chicago White Sox lost 121 games last year—the major league record since 1900.
When professional teams in the Windy City plunge past dreadful and inept and sink so deep they turn into jokes, they become known as “fun bad.” Sadly for Chicagoans, fun bad is about the only type of fun offered these days. Think Bulls, Hawks, Bears, etc. And nowhere is it funnier or badder than on the South Side.
Considering the Sox’s big move in the offseason was dealing ace starter Garrett Crochet to Boston for four prospects, their big free-agent acquisition was utility infielder Josh Rojas (1 year/$3.5 million!) and they’ll deal center fielder Luis Robert Jr. as soon as he has a hot fortnight; there’s a non-zero chance they threaten their own record for losses.
Realistically, the Sox are a decent bet to win at least 50 games because baseball is weird like that. But, last we checked, that’s still 35-40 wins shy of being a legit wild-card contender. So scratch them off the list. If you can find somebody willing to wager they won’t post 100-plus losses for the third year in a row, make that bet immediately.
Next up? The Colorado Rockies. Like the White Sox, the Rockies are a legitimate threat to lose 100-plus games for the third straight season.
Sep 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman (15) celebrates with first baseman Michael Toglia (4) and second baseman Brendan Rodgers (7) after hitting a grand slam in the eighth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images If you’re wondering why, it’s because they’re stuck in a Catch-22. In general, they try not to make any moves to improve. But on the rare occasions when they convince themselves to take a big swing, they have an alarming tendency to miss like Javier Baez, which reinforces their desire to stand pat.
A prime example is Baez’ former Cubs teammate, Kris Bryant. Since signing a seven-year, $182 million deal prior to the 2022 season, Bryant’s injuries have limited him to 159 of a possible 486 games. But maybe his unavailability has been a good thing—because he has managed a -1.3 WAR when playing.
So perhaps we should be applauding Colorado’s offseason strategy to lay low in the mountains. After finishing 37 games out of first in the NL West and 28 wins below the wild-card teams last year, the Rockies’ boldest move to beef up their roster was acquiring utility infielder Thairo Estrada. Yes, the Thairo Estrada who batted .217 with a .590 OPS last year in San Francisco.
Shall we bother discussing the Miami Marlins? They lost 100 games last year, too. Fearful they might have the personnel not to do it again, they dispatched leading home-run hitter Jake Burger to Texas and traded intriguing lefty starter Jesus Luzardo to Philadelphia for four prospects.
Jul 6, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins right fielder Dane Myers (54) is doused with Gatorade by catcher Ali Sanchez (47) as they celebrate their win against the Chicago White Sox at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-USA TODAY Sports Former Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara is back from Tommy John surgery and looking strong, so that will be a big plus—when Miami ships him out of town for more prospects. If the Marlins play their cards right, they might have a farm system ranked in the top half of MLB someday.
Apr 6, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout (27) makes a leaping catch at the wall off a fly ball hit by Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran (16) in the eighth inning at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images It doesn’t seem fair to pick on the Los Angeles Angels, so we’re going to stay positive here while still insisting they won’t contend in the AL West this year. You’ve heard how badly third baseman Anthony Rendon’s seven-year, $245 million contract has worked out for the Angels, right?
Well, here’s the positive news: After being healthy enough to be in the Angels’ Opening Day lineup each of the last four years—only to play 57, 46, 42 and 56 more games the rest of the way due to multiple maladies—Rendon had the forethought to suffer this year’s big injury before spring training.
The Angels announced last week that Rendon required “long-term hip surgery” and will miss the season. While that’s bad for him, we choose to believe he deliberately sacrificed himself to the baseball gods—who have promised in exchange to allow Mike Trout to play a full season after being limited to 111 games the last two years.
St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras (40) is bigger than ever, hoping to produce power numbers to match in 2025. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Who’s our fifth team mathematically eliminated? Sadly for the Best Fans In Baseball ™, it’s the St. Louis Cardinals. Given a choice between working hard to fill holes and contend or working hard to get maximum trade value for veterans like Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray and Ryan Helsley to accelerate the rebuilding process, the Cardinals have chosen atrophy.
In response, Cardinals fans have chosen apathy.
Here’s the Cards’ sole offseason trade: They stole Michael Helman, a 28-year-old utility player with 10 career major-league at-bats, from Minnesota for “cash considerations.”
Yeah, yeah, the offseason has been full of reports of their attempts to trade Nolan Arenado. Is that to try to win a pennant? Or try to save money?
Ah, the sound of dollars being sucked back into an owner’s bank vault. Now that’s the sweetest soundtrack of spring.
Sports
Columbus rallies to beat rival Cincinnati
Columbus Crew offense Jamal Thiaré (19) heads the ball into the goal against the FC Cincinnati in the first half of the match at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field on July 25, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio. Daniel Gazdag’s first-half penalty kick and Patrick Schulte’s four saves led the host Columbus Crew to a 2-1 comeback win over FC Cincinnati in the latest Hell Is Real derby on Saturday.
The Crew (5-8-4, 19 points) had one win in their previous six matches while Cincinnati (6-6-5, 23 points) had a three-match point streak end.
The rivalry got heated in the final minute and Cincinnati’s Gerado Valenzuela was red-carded after a scuffle broke out and the melee continued post-match in the Cincinnati tunnel.
Kevin Denkey staked Cincinnati a ninth-minute lead before the Crew rallied on scores from Jamal Thiare in the 42nd and a penalty kick by Gazdag in the sixth minute of first-half stoppage time.
Columbus overcame an early deficit to take the 2-1 halftime lead on Gazdag’s second penalty kick in as many matches.
The Crew settled down after the Denkey score and Thiare found the equalizer off a corner kick by Dylan Chambost.
Thiare made a run to the middle of the box, got position on Miles Robinson and used a header for his first Crew goal after being acquired in a trade in February from Atlanta United, where he played the past three seasons.
At the 45-minute mark, Schulte made a critical stop with his right arm on a shot by Evander at the left post. The Crew followed with Max Arfsten drawing a foul at the end line from Matt Miazga that was upheld after a review.
Gazdag calmly scored from the spot for the 27th time in 28 tries in his MLS career with the Crew and the Philadelphia Union.
Cincinnati has allowed 42 goals after giving up 40 last season in 34 regular-season matches.
Denkey broke a tie with Evander for the club goal lead with his 11th but he couldn’t have done it with Evander and some poor defending by Mo Farsi.
Pavel Bucha attacked the right flank before sending a cross to the 6-yard box. Farsi tried to high kick the pass but whiffed and the ball went to Evander for a slick centering pass to Denkey, who did not miss.
Evander has a seven-match goal contribution streak (eight goals, seven assists).
This was the first meeting since Cincinnati won a best-of-three series in the 2025 playoffs.
– Field Level Media
Sports
Union's Milan Iloski nets difference maker to edge Sounders
Jul 25, 2026; Chester, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Union forward Milan Iloski (10) reacts with midfielder Jovan Lukic (4) and midfielder Cavan Sullivan (6) after scoring a goal against Seattle Sounders FC in the first half at Subaru Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images Milan Iloski scored the match’s only goal just past the half-hour mark, and the Philadelphia Union defeated the visiting Seattle Sounders 1-0 on Saturday night in Chester, Pa.
Frankie Westfield and Neil Pierre added assists as the Union (3-10-4, 13 points) won back-to-back matches for the first time this season.
The Sounders (7-6-3, 24 points) tied a club record with their fifth straight loss, matching a mark set in 2015.
Iloski opened the scoring for the Union in the 31st minute. He caught up to a pass from Frankie Westfield and, with Sounders goalkeeper Andrew Thomas pulled off his line, chipped it into an open net to make it 1-0. It was Iloski’s team-high ninth goal of the season.
In the 64th minute, Iloski thought he’d made it a brace as he caught Thomas off his line once more on a one-versus-one opportunity, but the entry pass from Cavan Sullivan found the striker a hair offside.
But the Union’s first-half goal ended up standing up as the match winner as the Sounders managed just one shot on goal, a weakly-headed attempt from Hassani Dotson in the 66th minute that was stopped easily by Union goalkeeper Andre Blake.
Blake kept his third clean sheet of the season thanks to his lone save of the night. Thomas stopped five of the six Philadelphia shots he faced.
The Union claimed consecutive wins for the first time since a three-match winning streak from Sept. 20 to Oct. 4, 2025.
Pierre, making his first MLS start, recorded his second goal contribution in as many matches. He scored his first career goal against the New York Red Bulls during the Union’s 3-1 win on Wednesday night.
Westfield’s assist was his team-leading fifth of the season.
Seattle has been shut out three times and outscored 12-2 during its losing streak.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Pete Crow-Armstrong fills stat sheet as Cubs plaster Pirates
Jul 25, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell (middle) greets center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (4) returning to the dugout after hitting a two-run home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the seventh inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Pete Crow-Armstrong filled the box score, going 4-for-5 with three runs, two doubles, a two-run home run, three RBIs and a stolen base to power the Chicago Cubs to an 11-0 victory over the host Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday.
Dansby Swanson added two hits, two runs and an RBI, while Miguel Amaya scored twice and drove in two runs. Michael Busch went 3-for-6 with two RBIs, and Seiya Suzuki also drove in two runs in the Cubs’ 16-hit attack.
Shota Imanaga (7-8) threw six shutout innings, allowing four hits while walking one and striking out four. Javier Assad earned his first save with three scoreless innings, allowing one hit while walking none and striking out three.
The Cubs took a 3-0 lead in the fifth inning. Swanson and Amaya singled with one out before Crow-Armstrong ripped an RBI double into the right-center gap to open the scoring. Suzuki followed with a line drive over the glove of a leaping Ryan O’Hearn at first, driving in Amaya and Crow-Armstrong.
An inning later, Chicago sent 11 batters to the plate and stretched its advantage to 8-0. Ian Happ opened the inning by grounding out. But Nico Hoerner singled, Pedro Ramirez walked, and Isaac Mattson relieved Pirates starter Paul Skenes.
Swanson greeted Mattson with an RBI double to left for a 4-0 lead. Amaya’s single drove in Ramirez and Swanson. Crow-Armstrong laced a double to right and Amaya advanced to third.
Suzuki struck out looking, but Busch knocked in Amaya and Crow-Armstrong with a two-out single, giving the Cubs an 8-0 lead. After Alex Bregman walked, Pittsburgh again went to the bullpen and Ron Marinaccio walked Happ, but Hoerner lined out to left with the bases loaded.
Crow-Armstrong launched his 23rd home run, a two-run shot to right, and the Cubs’ lead grew to 10-0 in the seventh. Pinch hitter James Triantos collected his first major league hit, a single, in the eighth and scored from first on Ramirez’s double.
Skenes (9-9) gave up five runs on six hits, walked two and struck out 11 in 5 1/3 innings.
–Field Level Media
Columbus rallies to beat rival Cincinnati
Union's Milan Iloski nets difference maker to edge Sounders
